


Each Piece

by LAStylesss



Category: Adore You - Harry Styles (Song), Harry Styles - Fandom, Kiwi - Harry Styles (Song), Medicine - Harry Styles (Song), One Direction (Band), Sweet Creature - Harry Styles (Song)
Genre: Asian Character(s), Drama & Romance, F/M, Romance, Romance Co, Travel
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-19
Updated: 2020-06-15
Packaged: 2021-03-02 22:01:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 22,670
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24264007
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LAStylesss/pseuds/LAStylesss
Summary: Yari Salvacruz always saw life as pieces to a puzzle picturing happiness. For her to complete it, she must get a high paying job as an engineer in a foreign country, immigrate, and provide for her family. Unfortunately, fate decides to put its hands on her puzzle pieces. Yari leaves her home country to be a housekeeper in London for no other than the international superstar, Harry Styles. With all the new pieces laid out in front of her, little does Yari know that working for one of the most successful artists in the world will help her see what puzzle pieces she needs to be truly happy.
Relationships: Harry Styles/Original Female Character(s)
Comments: 1
Kudos: 7





	1. 1st Piece

* **July 2018***

Happiness is like a puzzle set where each piece are your words and choices while the image created at the end is happiness itself. Our perception of happiness constantly changes which in turn changes our puzzle piece. To me, the end picture has always been using my engineering degree to get work in the US and living there with my family. I've worked hard to get those puzzle pieces and lay them all out in the correct position but fate has a way of playing with people.

For now, that puzzle set is set aside in place of another; one where I can provide for my dad's treatment.

"Make sure to call us when you get settled in, okay?" My aunt Dita rambles on and hands me yet another plastic bag full of food for the trip. As if I don't have food packed for the trip already. " _At huwag mo kalimutan mga binilin namin sa' yo._ " ( _And don't forget all the lessons we taught you.)_

Like all Asian women, aunt Dita shows her love through food and nagging to wit's end. Somehow, I've gotten used to all of it.

" _Opo, tita._ _(Yes, auntie)_ I will. " I nod

" _Huwag mo kalimutan imessage yung si Marites pagdating mo dun,_ ( _Don't forget to message that Marites there)_ " My uncle Ramon adds. Then, he kisses my cheeks and gives me a tight hug. " _Mag-ingat ka doon, Yari. Mabilis lang ang two years. (Be careful there, Yari. Two years is just fast)_ "

" _Opo_ , _tito._ _(Yes, uncle)._ " I nod.

Uncle Ramon is not the showy type of guy and would show his love through strict teaching. His intimacy only surfaces on rare occasions like this.

" _Mag-ingat ka doon, ate, (Be careful there, older sister_ ), My sixteen year old younger brother Leon gives me a tight hug. " _Tuturuan ko sila mag Skype. (I'll teach them how to use Skype)._ "

" _Sige. Huwag mo kakalimutan paalalahanan si daddy umnim ng gamot niya, ah? Mag-aral ka mabuti at huwag puro barkada._ ( _Yes. Don't forget to remind daddy to drink his medicine, alright? Don't concentrate on your friends but study well.)_ " I ruffle his hair.

Leon is going through his teenage years and he's in a stage where every physical sign of love from a family member is considered too much. But tonight, he lets it pass and let me hug him one last time.

"Alright, go inside already or you'll miss your flight!" My uncle announces and holds my aunt's hand.

I look at them one last time and commit their faces to memory then enter back inside with a wave of goodbye. They give their warmest smiles and biggest waves but I can clearly see the sadness in their eyes. It's already six in the evening and the cold June winds of Manila coupled with the airport's heavy blasting air conditioners give little warmth to my body. I snuggle my hoodie a little tighter and continue to walk on.

A wave of sadness and excitement fills my heart as I walk to the boarding gates. I've already checked in my luggage and my carry on backpack is secured in my back. All I need to do is wait for the boarding gates to open at seven thirty in the evening and I'm ready to leave the country I grew up in. At twenty one years old, this would be the first time ever that I will be riding a plane on my own and already a foreign country at that. If it were up to me, I would be going there for travel and leisure but reality isn't like that. Practicality always supersede passion.

I arrive at the waiting area for my airplane's boarding gate and sit on one of the metal chairs lined up in the area beside a woman in her early thirties who's talking to someone in her phone. A bout of nervous feelings accumulate in my stomach and I start to incessantly tap my shoes on the floor. To distract myself, I take my phone from my pocket and take a picture of the surroundings. I'm no pro but I've always loved taking pictures. Standing up, I walk to the glass window of the boarding area and take pictures of the airplanes and the ramp outside.

The flickering lights of the runway and the airplanes beside it absorb me and I take numerous pictures of the place. After taking my fair share of photos, I stash my phone back inside my pocket and sit cross-legged on the carpeted floor and watch the airport ground officers doing their jobs below. They distract me for a good amount of time until I hear a sound coming from the desk beside the double doors of my boarding gate.

"Flight LHR451 on Airbus A330-300 flying from Manila to London Heathrow is ready for boarding. The elderly, people with disabilities, and passengers flying with a pregnant woman and or an infant will be given priority to board first," A young woman's voice announces. "Again, flight LHR451 on Airbus A330-300 flying from Manila to london Heathrow is ready for boarding. The elderly, people with disabilities, and passengers flying with a pregnant woman and or an infant will be given priority to board first."

It's already been two hours already? My heart beats faster so I take my phone and give my dad a call. He answers after one ring and my heart just beats faster.

" _Daddy, nagpapapasok na po sila. (Daddy, they're starting to let passengers in)_ " I say as I fish for my plane ticket in my bag.

" _Oh sige, huwag mo kalimutan mga tinuro ko sa' yo ah? (Alright, don't forget what I taught you, alright?)_ ," His usual loud voice answers. "Wala pang isang buwan kang grumaduate, umalis ka na agad. Kung nakakuha lang—(It's not even a month since you graduated yet you already left. If only I got—)"

" _Daddy,_ _okay lang po. Lilipat ako kaagad po ng trabaho na malapit sa kurso ko after ng kontrata. Susubukan ko din po humanap ng part time na malapit sa ChE. Mag-iipon po ako para madala ko na kayo dito_. ( _Daddy, I'm okay. I will change jobs after my contract that is related to ChE. I'll save money so that I can bring you guys here.)_ " I give my best reassuring voice.

" _Sige, mag ingat ka doon ah? Tumawag ka kaagad kapag nakarating ka na sa bahay doon. Huwag mo kalimutan kumain palagi at magdasal ka! (Alright, be careful there, okay? Call us imediately once you arrive at the house there. Don't forget to eat always and pray!)_ " I hear his ever strong and in control words until a moment of silence fills the air. " _Ipagpatuloy mo diyan kung ano talaga ang gusto mo._ _(Continue there what you really like to do_ )"

The man immediately hangs up. I know what he means by saying his last statement and I feel hot tears prickle my eyes because of this. I also know that he's just controlling his self but the reason why I'm leaving is still gutting her.

Wiping my tears, I take a huge breath and sigh. So this is really it for me. I'll hopefully see this country again after what, a couple of years? I don't know. But, I'm excited for this journey up ahead of me.

I post a picture of the tarmac in my social media and fall in line along with the people going in. One by one, eacg passenger present his or her boarding pass and ticket. When it was my turn already, I give it to the lady working on the desk. She checks the ticket and scans it in some sort of bar code and hands it back.

"Enjoy your trip!" She gives a warm smile.

I give my thanks and enter the double doors. Walking along with the rest if passengers, we pass through the hall going through the airplane's entrance. Manila's dark starless sky matches my feelings-uncertainty. I savor the look of the surroundings outside then look ahead. I follow the people until we reach the inside of the cabin.

At the entrance of the airplane, a couple of flight attendants welcome us inside. I look for my seat that's thankfully in the middle part of the cabin and a window seat on the right side of the plane. Two other flight attendants help other passengers store away their luggage while I shimmy to my seat past a couple in their fifties. Finally, I sit down and put my back pack on my feet. I could store this in the overhead storage bin but I'm the type of person who fears that something might be stolen in their bag so I always keep it in a place where i see it.

One by one, the seats fill up and the sound inside the cabin becomes louder. Passengers walk to and fro the ever so small path in between the seats and others chatter with their friends or family. As for me, I check the travel magazines in the pocket in front of me and read through the pages.

I feel my heart beating at irregular beats and a feeling I can't name comes back again in my stomach. I welcome the feeling and let it stay because I know I'll have this for a very long time. The feelings increases more as I see that the number of people storing away their luggage have already dwindled and a lot of the people are already on their seats.

The numbers start to lessen further until there's no passenger standing anymore except for the four flight attendants. I see two of them checking each overhead cabin one last time then leave to walk to their preparation area. Since there wasn't anything going on yet, I return to the airplane magazines and read a fun article about a trip to Boracay here in the Philippines

I'm so engrossed in reading the magazine that I didn't notice that the flight attendants are giving their demo already. I only did when I heard the sound of the clicking of the seat belt buckles. Looking up, I see that there are two flight attendants in the far front demonstrating the safety precautions in the airplane. A lot of people tend to ignore them but I for one focus. I have this internal anxiety of experiencing a plane crash so I do my best to focus and listen attentively so I'll know what to do to survive. I take the illustration card in the front pocket in front of me and look at it as I follow along with the flight attendants.

Once they're done, I place back the card in the pocket and look at the window. I can see the night sky and the tarmac. Down below, I see the ground airplane officers walking away from the airplane I'm riding. I return back my eyes to the sky and savor my last night here.

Suddenly, the sound of airplane engine fills the cabin and I feel a smile creep in my face. After a couple of minutes, I see the plane move backwards and the feeling inside my stomach just grows bigger. The aircraft turns around and starts following the path of the runway and takes a left as it follows the path. It stops for a second once the whole plane reaches the other side until slowly it moves forward. The airplane picks up speed while the sound of the engine flares and the fuel burning until we reach the end of the runway and become airborne.

The plane ascends and ascends and I look at the window to see buildings and structures becoming smaller and smaller until they're all just tiny dots. After several minutes, a chiming sound inside the cabin signals that we are finally on a cruising altitude. I take off my seat belt and breath a sigh of relief. The large screen in front of the cabin opens and it shows the route that the plane will be taking.

I've always loved travelling and my insides become giddy from the thought of getting to explore a foreign land. The travel magazines in front only increase this feeling further. I immerse myself in other magazines and read about the different places to travel to.

Once I'm done with every magazine in the pocket, I put on my earphones, connect it to my phone and listen to some music as I wait for sleep to come to me. As I do this, I press the button to call for the flight attendant and one of them, a friendly looking guy in a suit and a nametag approaches. I request for a blanket and eye mask and he nods.

The guy comes back quickly with a folded blue blanket inside a resealable see through plastic. On top of it is the eye mask.

"Thank you. " I smile.

"You're welcome, ma'am. Press the button again if you need anything. " He replies then walks away back to their station.

I remove the plastic and place it in the pocket in front of me then drape the blanket over myself. I go on a routine of sleeping, waking up to eat the food served, bathroom breaks, then sleep again. The routine goes for a good fifteen hours until I can't sleep anymore and found seating very uncomfortable now. So, I stand up and shimmy past the woman and man beside me then walk to the doors of the plane so I can stretch my feet.

It feels good to stand up again and feel my legs. I do a couple of squats, arm and leg exercises, then stand there for a good fifteen minutes. After doing so, I head for the bathroom to freshen up and change. I change from my sweat pants to jeans and a hoodie. I know that London is cold despite its summer weather so this island girl must prepare.

Once done, I return back to my seat and put on some makeup. I was told by the agency that I will be picked up by one of the other household helpers of the owner so I've got to look decent. After finishing with my look, I fish through my phone the details of the household help. I commit to memory her name and features: Marites, small kind face, short bob, brown skin, and a fellow Filipina.

There is only an hour left to the plane ride and I look out the window to see that we're still above the clouds. I'd love to see England for the first time with my very own eyes! My heart starts to beat a little faster again so I listen to music once again. The voice of my favorite Filipino performers soothe my nerves and I let it carry my feelings away.

The music was really helpful but the sound of the pilot's voice is suddenly audible.

"Good morning everyone. This is Captain Oliver Azares with Co-captain Wally Garcia and right now, we are on cruising altitude of thirty five thousand feet above land," A smooth baritone voice announces. "In approximately twenty minutes, we will be landing at London Heathrow Airport. Right now, the weather in London, England is sunny with twenty percent chance of raining. For our passengers, we hope you had an enjoyable ride. Thank you for flying with Philippine Airlines. _Mabuhay_!"

The sound turns off and a myriad of voices start to rise as the message of arriving becomes clear to them. People start to wake up from their slumber and I hear excited voices of kids talking to their parents as well as some adults planning on what to do when they arrive. As promised, after fifteen minutes, the plane starts to descend. I look at the window and see the airplane leaving the clouds and out of it erupts the afternoon sky. Down below were buildings and landscape that I've only seen on movies or the internet.

The buildings become bigger and bigger while my heart matches its beat by beating louder and louder. I feel my lips curve upward and immediately, I take my phone and capture this moment along with this beautiful view.

The plane finally reaches the airport and lands perfectly on the runway. Everybody claps and the overall atmosphere in the cabin brightens. I breathe a sigh of relief and nervousness kicks in. This is it. I'm going to be working as a housekeeper.

"Just two years, Yari. Just two years," I whisper to myself. "After that, you're going back to Engineering."

The plane parks in its designated terminal and screeches to a halt. My feelings become heavier as the signal to remove the seat belt turns on. Would my boss be terrifying? Can I adjust quickly? Where will the Asian supermarket be located? So many thoughts and questions pop in my head as I file up to get out of the plane.

One by one, we leave the aircraft while being greeted by the flight attendants near the exit. Each one gives their well wishes and a smile to boot. I pass the exit tunnel and instantly feel scared. I've researched about the airport days before my flight and already committed to memory the procedures but I feel like it's all gone down the drain. We go down the tunnel then ride up an escalator. Once we reach the top, a glass wall protects us from below and my eyes turn wide at the sheer amount of people of all races and ages walking down on the other side.

I follow the path to another escalator that descends and follow one of the lines for the screening of the immigration officer. The line goes smoothly until it's my turn with the officer. Thankfully, I manage to answer all the questions without choking and pass.

"Welcome to London." The immigration offer greets then gives her focus to the person behind me.

"Thank you." I give a shy smile and pass through.

I walk to the baggage claiming area and look for my suitcases—2 large black ones each with brown Hogwarts bagtags— and take them from the rotating belt. It takes me several minutes to find them but I finally do then walk towards the exit where I am supposed to meet Marites. Before I forget, I connect to the WiFi and send her a message through Facebook.

**Good afternoon, miss Marites. This is Mayari Salvacruz, the new hired housekeeper. I've arrived already and got my luggage. I will be walking towards the arrival area.**

I'm mesmerized by the interior of the airport and take numerous shots as I walk. I take a selfie too and send it to the family group chat. There are no replies from them and I check the time there. Dad's probably watching his morning show and my little brother's getting ready for school so that explains that. Meanwhile, I get a reply from miss Marites.

 **I am at the arrival area wearing a white blouse and blue cardigan.**  
  
I text her back immediately.

**Alright po. I'm almost there** **_._ **

I arrive at the place and look for the woman until I see her beside the railings looking at my direction. I wave at her and she notices me. The woman walks to the other side and I meet her there halfway. Looking closer, Marites has a shorter stature of about 5 feet and looks like she's already in her early forties. She greets me with a hug and I reciprocate her gesture.

"Mayari?" She asks and I nod. "How was your flight, _iha_? _Maayos naman ba_? _(Was it alright?)_ "

"It was okay _po_ , miss Marites" I reply back with my lips curved upward as we shake hands. " _Matagal po ba kayo naghintay? (Did you wait long here?)_ "

"Not that long, _iha_ ( _Young lady)_. Please, _tawagin mo na lang ako tita Tess. (Just call me aunt Tess)_."

She takes one of the suitcases and walks to the other direction. Marites is very quick for her age and I follow her behind. Despite her height and size, she exudes the aura of warm confidence like a woman with a business.

"It's good that you wore your jacket," She looks back at me. "It's not like the Philippines where it's hot and sunny. Here, it's still cold and mostly raining. Very rare when it is sunny."

I casually nod and agree with her. Once outside, I'm smacked with the cold dry air despite the sun shining brightly above the sky. It's a different kind of cold that I have never experienced before and I warm myself further by rubbing my arms. Mentally though, I pat myself on the back for preparing for this weather.

 _Tita Tess_ leads the way to the line of black airport cabs until he stops at one. A fellow Filipino comes out of the driver's seat and helps us put the suitcases in the trunk. He's a short portly man probably having the same age as _Tita_ Tess.

" _Salamat, (Thank you)_ Ed." _Tita_ Tess smiles at the guy as she motions for me to get inside the cab.

I follow the woman's orders and sit at the back. She follows suit and the driver rides back in the driver's seat.

" _Walang ano man, Tess. Siya ba yung bagong kasambahay sa inyo? (No problem, Tess. Is she the new housekeeper in your place?)_ "The driver asks in the same Ilonggo accent as hers.

" _Oo siya_. _(Yup, it's her)._ "

" _Isama mo siya sa atin sa Linggo. (Bring her with you this Sunday)_ " The man maneuvers his way out of the place and onto the streets of London. "Welcome to London! _Ed nga pala, iha. (My name's Ed, young lady)_

"Mayari, _po. Salamat po. (Thank you._ )" I reply shyly.

 _Tita_ Tess and Ed continue to converse but I get lost in thought while looking at the window. Everything is so foreign. This will be a hard two years but I assure myself that once it is done, I will go back to Engineering.


	2. 2nd Piece

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yari Salvacruz always saw life as pieces to puzzle picturing happiness. For her to complete it, she must get a high paying job as an engineer in a foreign country, immigrate, and provide for her family. Unfortunately, fate had other plans. Out of an emergency, Yari leaves her home country to be a housekeeper in London. Little does she know that she will be working for international superstar, Harry Styles. Through late night walks down an empty park, drunken conversations on a rainy night, and shared secrets inside a hostel in the middle of nowhere, Yari discovers who the real Harry Styles is and what puzzle pieces she needs to be truly happy.

It's my first official day in London and I am still in awe at the property I'll be taking care of. I didn't see much last night but I know it's big just by the amount of open space in front of the mansion and the high brick walls surrounding the perimeter.

This place wasn't described in the job description when I applied online. I remember the advertising went along the lines of: "A skilled and efficient property caretaker of a private property in the heart of London. The job includes being an occasional housekeeper when the owner decides to stay for an indefinite amount of time". Boy, how vague that description was but few months later, here I am having breakfast in the kitchen island of this mansion in London.

"Have you signed the papers, Yari?" _Tita_ Tess asks as she stirs her coffee. I already told her my nickname so that she can use it.

I take the three sets of stapled papers beside me and the blue pen that I used to sign with.

"It's here," I give her the stack of papers and yawn. "What is the non-disclosure agreement for _po_?"

As soon as we arrived, _Tita_ Tess handed me those stack of papers to be read and signed. Since my body clock hasn't adjusted yet, I stayed up late and read all of the contents page by page. It's a non-disclosure agreement for me to agree on not divulging any information of what's inside the house, what's happening inside the house, and all things related to maintaining the privacy of the owner. The guy must be very protective of his private life.

"Standard protocol of the owner, _iha,_ " She says nonchalantly.

"Who is the owner by the way?" I look up at her. "When I was interviewed online, they said they were representatives of a guy named Mick Robinson. I looked his name up and nothing came up that would lead to this house. Shouldn't I know what my master looks like?"

A small smile plays on her lips as she looks at me like she knows something that I don't. "Ah, you could say that he's an important person," She must have sensed the thoughts inside my head. "Don't worry, _mabait siya._ _(He's kind)._ He just has his own ways of introducing himself."

I know that she knows more but I do not prod further. If she says this Mick Robinson guy is nice, then I'll try to believe that he is.

"I'll give this to one of his assistants before I leave for the Philippines for good. " She raises the envelope.

" _Ha_?!" My eyes turn into saucers. "You're leaving? _Bakit po?_ _(Why?)_ "

"I've been a domestic helper for over twenty years and my kids have grown up without their mama for too long," _Tita_ Tess smiles wistfully. "Mick Robinson helped me save up for a small business back in Iloilo, my hometown. That's why they hired you to replace me."

_Tita_ Tess looks at me with a warm smile. Internally, I am panicking. It will be only a week since I've stayed here then I'll be left on my own in a foreign country with the only person that I know of here? I can't do this! How will I take care of this place? How will I survive?

"Don't worry, Yari. I'll teach you everything you need to know. You can also message me even if I'm already in the Philippines next week," She calms my thoughts. " _Kaya bilisan mo kumain diyan at marami pa ako ituturo sa' yo. (That's why you should finish your meal quickly because I still have to teach you a lot of things.)_ "

I nod and finish my toast, marmalade, and butter. _Tita_ Tess finishes her breakfast as well then prepares me for my lessons in keeping this place spic and span.

The woman begins with touring me outside the house. It is impressive with a wide front yard and large backyard with a garden and patio. When I asked about security, she says that there are numerous cctvs here as well as an electric wire on top of the brick walls. Not only that, there is a security guard inside roaming and the police station is pretty near. That's pretty cool.  
  
We then proceed to the garage where I see the storage room, laundry room, and various sports cars. I wanted to touch the cars so badly. There's a Ferrari, Bentley, and three other cars that I can't name. The kid in me wanted to touch it so badly and take pictures but I'll do it when _tita_ Tess is gone.  
  
After the garage, I get the tour of the mansion. The house is a three-storey modern looking white colored mansion. The walls inside are also white and are decorated with numerous art pieces and photos while the furniture pieces are brightly-colored. On the first floor, there's the living room, dining room, kitchen, and maid's room. Walking up through the glass stairs is the second floor where there are four bed rooms, and a reading area. Going up to the third floor, I see the master's bedroom, walk-in closet, and music room.

Besides the shelves of books in the second floor, the music room is by far my most favorite part here. It is a wide room that has a sun roof, large shelves full of vinyl records, a vintage record player, a couple of electric and acoustic guitars sitting on their stands, and several bean bags lying in the middle of the room.

I'm at awe at how beautiful this place is and how the owner must be really that rich to own this amazing house.

"Are you picking everything up, Yari?" Tita Tess looks at me.

"Yes _po_."

After touring the property, the woman introduces me to the lone personal security sitting beside the small outpost of the iron gates and tall brick walls. He's a big burly guy in his mid twenties with raven black hair, chocolate skin, intimidating chiseled face, and gray piercing eyes. He's wearing jogging pants, a shirt, and sneakers.

"It's a pleasure to meet you. The name's Anthony, miss," The guy extends his right hand and offers it to me.

I shake his hand shyly. "Yari. It's nice to meet you too, Mr. Anthony. "

"Just Anthony, " He chuckles and feel that this guys is actually not that intimidating at all. "Don't call me mister. I feel old. "

"Oh, I'm sorry. Mi—Anthony. " I give a sheepish smile.

"She'll get used to it, Anthony. Filipinos are just naturally polite," _Tita_ Tess shrugs as if saying, "Newbies, am I right? ". Then, she leads me back to the house. "See you later at lunch, Anthony! I still have to show her around."

"Alright, see you Tess! You too, Yari! " Anthony waves then continue back looking at the gates.

Once we're inside and out of sight, _Tita_ Tess starts to talk.

"Anthony has been here for two years. He stays here during the day. You might have seen Suresh and James last night. Their shifts are both for evenings. They are all good men and they'll help you here if you ask them. " The woman explains in a tone that says that it is a very important fact.

I have noticed the Indian and Caucasian man with the same physical features last night when I arrived here. In my head, I file _tita_ Tess'statement as a very important fact.

The rest of the tour continues until I've reached all the parts of the house. Once we were done, _tita_ Tess starts teaching me on how to clean this huge place. It takes us the whole morning to clean the whole receiving area, second floor living room, kitchen and hallways. In the afternoon, the lessons continue and _tita_ Tess teaches me how to clean the bedrooms, bathrooms, garage, and indoor gym.

Throughout the whole time, I've been trying to look for any signs of who the owner was but it was hard to do so. There weren't any photos of the owner nor his family. The only thing apparent to me was that he liked music and art like most rich people do.

Who is Mick Robinson and why is he important? I guess I'll never know until I meet him. I just hope he's not some corrupt politician or a drug lord or worse, both.

***  
The week passes by pretty quickly and _tita_ Tess has taught me a crash course of everything that I need to know about the property and what to do when the owner arrives. Besides that, she gave me tips and tricks to help survive in this country. These range from where to get groceries and buy cheap clothes, to all sorts of things needed should the owner decide to stay in the house. She even helped me start my own bank account here.

On top of that, she taught me how to cook a dish that the owner likes to have whenever he's here which are tacos, buttered sweetcorn, and bangers and mash. I wrote everything on a notebook and tried to commit to heart each lesson that I learned.

It's nearing five in the afternoon and _tita_ Tess has already prepared her suitcases and every item that she decided to give to her family are already sealed in boxes. Meanwhile, I sit on the mint green couch on the first floor and help the woman secure her things.  
  
"Remember that your uniforms are inside the leftmost cabinet, alright? Everyone wears their uniforms when he's here so make sure to wear it when he arrives. Got it?" _Tita_ Tess checks the last box on her things to bring home.  
  
"Yes _po_." I nod.

"I know that this work is just your stepping stone to get an engineering job here, the US, or whatever, but please, take care of this house since it will be your home for the next two years," _Tita_ Tess hugs me tightly. "I want to ask a favor as well."

I know her sentiments are genuine and it makes me feel warm that at the short time I've spent with her, I've gotten close with this woman.

"I will po." I reply with a soft smile. "What is it po?"  
  
Before she can say it, Anthony enters the living room.  
  
"Cab's here. I'll get your things, Tess." Anthony announces.

With that, she carries her luggage and I'm left thinking what she was about to say. After a few moments, I shake my head and proceed to bring some of her things left behind. Ed, the cab driver who drove the cab I rode on my arrival here, is the driver who will drop off _tita_ Tess. The three of us help her get her things in the trunk and back seat. _Tita_ Tess talks to Ed then huddles Anthony and I together.

"Come on, let's take a picture before we leave. " _Tita_ Tess stands in the middle of Anthony and I.

Actively, I smile and see Anthony smiling as well. Ed takes a picture of us then hands it to _tita_ Tess. This is such a classic Filipino thing to do and makes me miss my family.

"You kids take care, alright? " The woman hugs Anthony.

"We will. Take care, Tess." Anthony smiles and pats her back.

She then proceeds to hug me but I'm surprised when I hear her whisper to my ear.

" _Pakiusap ko sana sa' yo na maging kaibigan_ _ka sa kaniya pagbalik niya dito. Mabait at masiyahin siyang bata pero alam ko, malungkot siya. Palaging may iniisip na sinasarili."(Please I'd like to ask for you to be a friend to him when he gets back here. He's a kind and joyful kid but I know that he's sad. He always has something on his mind that he keeps to himself.)_

The woman breaks away her hug and pats both of my shoulder with a smile while I look at her with a puzzled face. That's her request? She really is kind for her to think about her own master's happiness. How can I say no to that?

I nod to her and her lips curve upward. _Tita_ Tess looks back at us one last time and enters the car. With Anthony beside me, wave goodbye to the woman as the car speeds out of the neighborhood.

Once the car is out of view, Anthony and I enter back inside the property, heavy air filling the atmosphere. To soothe this, I bring a plate of peanut butter sandwiches and two mugs out in the garden. One contains hot tea for Anthony while one has black coffee for me. I still have not adjusted to the tea culture of this country but I have seen that these people take it seriously.

_Tita_ Tess's words still float in my head and I try to remove it by learning about Anthony. The two of us converse and I learn that he has a wife and a baby boy who live outside the city. He is a former high school or as the Brits say, "secondary school" classmate of Mick Robinson and got the job one night during a charity event back in their hometown.   
  
"Where is your hometown?"  
  
"Somewhere Northwest."

"Can you show me a picture of you and Mick when you were in high—secondary school? " 

"I know he hasn't introduced himself to you so I'm really sorry, love, " Anthony gives an apologetic smile and I pout slightly. "But do know that he's a good lad. A little handful and cheeky at times but nonetheless, a _very_ good man. Once you get to know him, you'll see."

Both Anthony and _tita_ Tess have vouched for his kindness. This man really must be nice if the two of them are saying good words about him ene if he's not here. I still haven't believed it because it really weirded me out that he wants to personally introduce himself.

"So tell me more about you, Yari," Anthony takes a sip of his tea. "Why did you take this job?"

I take a bite of my peanut butter sandwich then sip my coffee. "I graduated just last June with a degree in Chemical Engineering. "

"Wow, congratulations!" Anthony smiles proudly. "And you took a job as a housekeeper? Why not push through with Engineering? "

"My initial plan was after graduation, I will take the licensure exam in our country for chemical engineers, find a job in a multinational company that's either for renewable energy or cosmetics, then work in the US and petition my family once I've immigrated," I give a wistful smile. "But I had to change it when my uncle who raised me since I was a baby got diagnosed with colorectal cancer April last year.

"Chemotherapy was helping but last February, he underwent surgery to remove a ruptured tumor from infecting other internal organs. The bills were sky high expensive and the money being donated by our relatives, his work friends, and organizations I've sought help at weren't enough to pay my uncle's surgery and future treatments. So, before my last semester, I decided not to take the licensure exam after graduation and instead, look for any housekeeping job that was in a foreign country. This was the highest paying one so I applied."

"Why not apply for an engineering job here? You did say you graduated with a degree in one. " Anthony asks.

"I tried but each one required years of experience which I lacked. The housekeeping job was the fastest and easiest way I can get money," I try to shrug nonchalantly. "After my housekeeping contract, I'll look for Engineering jobs here. I promised that to myself and my family. "

The last words are more of a promise for myself. As respectable as this job is, I know that this is not the job that will give the the things that I want. It is just a corner to the puzzle set I am finishing. The whole image is out there waiting for me.

"You'll get that job," Anthony's lips curved upward. "After your contract here, if you still want to work in London, Samantha and I can help you find a nice flat with proper housemates."

"Thank you. I'll take your word for that." I grin. I'm thankful that Anthony is offering he and his wife's help. He really is a good guy.

We both finish our afternoon tea and I enter back the house carrying the empty plate and mugs to wash it. After doing so, I sit on the first floor living room's couch and wonder to myself, when will my life really pick up after this.


	3. 3rd Piece

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yari Salvacruz always saw life as pieces to puzzle picturing happiness. For her to complete it, she must get a high paying job as an engineer in a foreign country, immigrate, and provide for her family. Unfortunately, fate had other plans. Out of an emergency, Yari leaves her home country to be a housekeeper in London. Little does she know that she will be working for international superstar, Harry Styles. Through late night walks down an empty park, drunken conversations on a rainy night, and shared secrets inside a hostel in the middle of nowhere, Yari discovers who the real Harry Styles is and what puzzle pieces she needs to be truly happy.

It's been three months since I've arrived in London and I've slowly made a routine here. My day starts at six where I do my morning exercise in the backyard garden then eat breakfast in the kitchen. After eating, I clean the whole house and turn on each appliance for fifteen minutes to prevent them from getting stuck up.

In the afternoon, I clean the garage then write articles for my part time job as a content writer for a varied content website. I applied for the job a couple months ago to send more money to my family as well as sharpen my saw as a writer.

After writing articles, I water the plants and flowers in the garden then clean the whole yard. In the evening, I skim over some class notes or write more articles.

On weekends, I talk to my family and relatives through video chat, do some groceries and laundry, and try to explore London. The feeling of being homesick has diminished but it is still there. The pain pricks me whenever my family sends me pictures of them eating together or coming out of the hospital after dad'schemo treatment.

Yet, I am happy that I get to send money to my family and help with our finances. Being here in this foreign country also helps my adventurist side. I've gotten to explore sites that I've only seen on the internet such as the Big Ben, Buckingham Palace, and Abbey Road.

Not only that, I met wonderful people of different backgrounds. I was invited to the countryside by Anthony to have dinner with his family, I became friends with the people at the market, and I even went to a Filipino community gathering and gained some friends there. Being in this foreign land is a gift that keeps on giving.

Out of the three months that I've stayed here, today is one of those long boring ones. It's the first week of September and there are a few weeks left before autumn kicks in but the weather is still cold for me. For a girl who's lived her whole life in the tropics, this feels like being inside an air conditioned room 24/7 while there's morning sunlight hitting you from the window pane. Thankfully, with this job, I don't have to wear any uniform yet since the owner of the house is not here. So, I'm in my old gym shorts and long sleeved shirt while cleaning the master's bathroom on a Saturday morning.

The bathroom is the size of my living room back home and looks like it can be featured in a home design magazine. White marble with black accents surround the four walls of this bathroom. On one side is a large bath tub and beside it, a glass door separates the shower. Across the bath tub is a mirror and black marble sink filled with stock toiletries. Near the door is a black toilet and a photo of a flower vase. In the middle of the room, there is still ample space to walk at least three long steps in each direction.

My phone lies on top of the marble sink and is blasting music at the highest volume. My sleeves are rolled up while my long black hair is tied in a loose bun as I scrub the bathtub. While I rinse the tub, this song I discovered by an artist named Dodie plays. It's a really catchy song that I've been playing nonstop. The vibe gets into me and I walk to the middle of the room while I close my eyes and sing and dance to the beat of the music. This is the perk of having no boss around!

Just as the song ends its chorus, I hear a guy cough.

" _Ay, kabayo_! ( _Oh, horse!)_ " I shout and open my eyes, heart beating fast at the sudden surprise. It's probably Anthony checking in. But this is peculiar. Anthony never goes inside unless I invite him or go to the bathroom. Unless, there must be an emergency. "Anth—"

"What did you say? " The man asks.

I never got to finish my sentence because right in front of me is no other than international singer, Harry Styles. He's wearing a plain white shirt and black basketball shorts while his hair is ruffled in that after sex hair look that he's famous for. The guy's face looks tired and has his lips in a straight line with an expression I could only guess as the look of pondering whether he'll fire his noisy housekeeper or not.

My eyes are as wide as saucers and it feels like my soul just left my body. I stand frozen, quiet, and shocked, as I look up at the guy, letting the information sink in. _The_ Harry Styles is my boss and my boss has seen me dance like an idiot and look like an ugly mess. Does the universe hate me that much?!

"Sorry, did I frighten you? It's Mayari, correct? " Harry extends his right hand while holding the door with the left. "I'm Harry. "

"Y-y-you're Mick R-robinson?" I managed to utter after a millennia.

The guy breaks into a grin and gives a soft chuckle as he retreats back his hand.

"I'll let you finish that up first before we talk, yeah? I'll be down in the kitchen." He smiles and closes the door.

Hurriedly, I wipe my hands on my hoodie and turn off the music.

"Shoot, shoot, shoot!" I curse myself in my head. Out of all the days that I am cleaning the bathroom, he chooses today when I look like a sweaty hippo wearing a dirty rag?

With an energy and speed I never knew I had, I clean the rest of the bathroom then make myself look half decent in front of the mirror. I unroll my sleeves, wipe my sweat, and tie my hair into a neat ponytail with the stray baby hairs brushed back.

"This looks okay. " I reassure myself while I look in the mirror. Truthfully, it does not.

My boss must be waiting for me already so I quickly get out of the bathroom. Since the master's bathroom is in the master's bedroom, I pass through his bedroom and catch several suitcases and a set of clothes lying on the floor. I pick up the clothes—gray shirt and skiny jeans—and fold it neatly then place it below the foot of the bed.

Going out of the master's bedroom, I walk calmly down the stairs to prevent him from hearing my loud footsteps. During my descend, I debate whether I should change into my uniform before I present myself to him. In the end, I choose what I'm wearing now since I haven't bathed yet and he has already seen me in this. Shame already left my body the moment he saw me in that bathroom.

Smoothing the invisible creases in my clothes, I reach the kitchen to see Harry heating something in the microwave.

"Uh, hello, sir. " I announce my presence with a shy wave of my hand.

"Ah, you're here. Give me a minute. I'll just plate this up," The guy removes his focus from the microwave and gives me a warm smile.

"Do you want anything, sir? " I motion for the fridge to try and look for some ingredients to cook. 

"No, it's alright. Sit. " He nods his head towards the small four-person dining table across the kitchen island.

I follow his order and sit on one of the brightly colored chairs beside the wall. Below the table, I fidget with my hands and tap my feet. What could he be thinking right now?

The microwave turns off with a beep and a plate full of tacos comes out. Gingerly, he takes the food out with an oven mitt and places it on the kitchen island. Harry rummages in the cupboard and comes up with another plate and some utensils. Surprisingly, the guy knows where it is even if he hasn't been here for who knows how long.

Harry places half the amount of tacos on the other plate and brings both to the table. After placing the food, he walks back again but I focus my eyes on the tacos. His trip probably made him hungry to have that amount of tacos on the table.

My boss comes back and I shift my focus on him. He has brought a large bottle of soda and two glasses. The brunette sits across me and pushes one plate and glass.

"Let's eat. " He smiles.

"Huh?" I utter at a loss. "It's alright, sir. I'm not hungry."

"I insist. It's lunch time and I know that cleaning this house is very tiring."

I look at the clock in the kitchen and indeed, it's half past twelve. "I'll just eat after you, sir. "

"You Filipinos are too modest for your own good," He sighs and shakes his head but a playful smile dances on his lips. "Eat with me. That's an order."

His voice becomes deeper and I couldn't do anything but concede. So, I take a bite after he does and chew quietly. I'm still in the process of taking all this in. Mick Robinson, who is the owner of this house, is actually Harry Styles! How mind-blwong is that? I thought my boss was some young politician or art collector. I never knew it was him?!

I am more in shock honestly because I am sitting in front of one of my teenage crushes. I am a Directioner and during his boy band years, he was my second favorite after Niall. I have downloaded all their songs, watched all their videos and bought a knock-off of their shirt. I was definitely heartbroken when they went on hiatus but proud that they all have budding careers on their own.

Last I heard, Harry was on a world tour for his album. My friends will be surprised when they learn that I work for him! Oh, if only I could tell them.

"How was your trip going here, sir? " I try to break the ice. "I would have prepared better if I knew you were going to come. "

"It was good. Tiring but good," He smiles. "And I purposely didn't tell to check how this house is really going," My heart beats faster and I think whether or not he has deemed my work as proper. "Don't worry. I'm amazed at how you kept the place clean. You even planted some flowers and herbs at the back. Interesting..."

Listening to him talk makes me notice that he has the same accent as Anthony. I've started to distinguish it from the accents I've listened to while buying groceries.

"Would you like me to remove them, sir? " I inquire hoping that he wouldn't. I planted the herbs to cut some cost on my food and at the same time, remind me of home.

"No, it's fine. Keep the plants, " He dismisses. "Oh sorry, where are my manners. I'm Mick Robinson or Harry Styles, owner of this house. Whichever you please," Harry extends his hand and I stand a bit to shake it. "I was out of the country for a long time for work. This is the house I mainly stay at when I'm on break...Let's talk about the scope of your work here and other reminders, shall we? "

I sit up straighter and listen more attentively. Internally, I admire at how he hasn't mentioned anything about being a celebrity.

"You already understand our contract and non-disclosure agreement, right?" The guy asks and I nod, thinking about the papers I signed a couple of months ago. "That's good. You must know about my nature of work already. I really value my privacy and would like to keep it that way. I know it's already in the contract but I'd like to repeat it to you again. You are not allowed to reveal my identity as your boss to anyone you know even to your family members unless I tell you so. You're also not allowed to take pictures, videos, nor interviews, that would violate any of the rules that pertain to breaking my privacy. Else, you will be dismissed of this job immediately."

"I know, sir. I understand."

"I'll be staying here from this day forward so I have some rules. First one, I'll let you play music or anything you like as long as you keep the sound low whenever I'm sleeping. Not a fan of being interrupted in my sleep, " The guy chuckles and I blush at the embarrassing scene earlier. "Second, whenever I call for you, please answer me quickly. Third, I hired outside cleaning services in charge of cleaning the place on weekends starting tomorrow. Don't let them clean the whole third floor. I'm only tasking you to do it.

"Fourth, I might bring you to my other properties or events. Bring your uniform there unless I tell you to wear something different depending on the occasion. Last but not the least, stop calling me sir. I feel like a pompous prat when you do that. Just call me Harry," He smiles at the last part. "It's not that much so I hope you can follow it all and I can extend your contract here. "

"Yes, si—Harry. Yes, Harry." I quickly catch myself and offer a shy smile.

I now understand Harry's reason why he had to use a fake name. The guy really values his privacy and if anyone knew he was hiring someone to be in his private place, thousands of untrustworthy people will take advantage of it. Still, I don't get why he has to be the one to introduce himself to me.

"Oh yeah, you can start wearing your uniform tomorrow. I'm okay with you wearing your clothes today," He grins. "Do you have any questions, Mayari? You can ask anything. By the way, what would you like to be called?"

"You can call me Yari, sir. Oh can I ask two? "

"Two? Alright." My boss smiles, slightly intrigued at my boldness for asking two questions.

"The first one is, uh, why are there no family pictures here?" I'm holding back on saying the second one but I have to say it now in case things get sour in the long run. "And uh, second, is uh, is it alright with you if there will be times that I will arrive past eight pm on my free day? I have a part time as an online content writer and they require a once a month Sunday meeting. They sometimes reach until evening for the meeting to end."

My first question should have been why he insisted on introducing himself on his own but I bit my tongue to stop myself. He probably has his own reasons.

Harry stays quiet for a second before he answers.

"First question, my pictures are in the storage room. I asked Tess to keep it to hide my identity until I haven't arrived here. Please help me get it after we eat and help me place it back, " He smiles and yawns again. "Second question, so long as it doesn't interrupt with your work here and doesn't violate the contract, I'm okay with it. It's your choice to do what you want to do on your free tyime."

I'm surprised at how kind and lenient he is. A lot of domestic helpers I've met have pretty intimidating and cruel bosses so in the back of my head, even though _tita_ Tess and Anthony vouched for his kindness, I thought that Mick Robinson, who is actually Harry Styles, was going to be cruel or bossy. I'm glad that I am wrong.

"Thank you, Harry. " My lips curve upward.

We finish our meal and I take his plate and utensils to wash it. After washing, patting them dry, and placing them back in the cupboard, I head for the garage outside. I wonder how I'll find his pictures there?

Before I can get out of the house, I see that the doors are open and that two large plastic containers are sitting on the side of the door. I head for the garage and see that it's open. Anthony and Harry are each carrying a large container bin. The guy already started hauling the pictures even though he asked me to do it.

"There are still a few boxes. " Harry comments as he enters back the house.

I follow his order and get some of the remaining boxes. Harry and Anthony go for one trip back before closing the garage. Anthony leaves while I see Harry with his hands on his hips. He looks around the living room and I stand behind him, waiting to move until he does.

It takes a few minutes until Harry stops and starts opening the bins. There are framed pictures of family and himself, awards, and trophies inside. We start emptying the first one nearest to him and instinctively, he takes some framed pictures and starts placing them around the room. The guy instructs me where to place the other pictures while I look at them as I do so. A lot were family photos of the three of them. Some were four including his stepdad Robin Twist while others are self portraits of him.

After emptying the boxes with the framed pictures, we bring the boxes containing the awards and trophies to the third floor inside his music room. We place the items on a table and others on the wall.

"We're finally done. " Harry proudly smiles at one of his family pictures on the table. "Which reminds me, please buy some groceries. I'll text you what I want."

Harry procures his phone from his pocket and taps on something. He gives his phone to me and I take it cautiously. I type my number with shaky hands and return it back to him.

"Check your phone and tell me if you got my message. " Harry tells me after typing.

I take my phone and see a text from an unknown number.

**Mick Robinson** **🤫**

"I got it. " I reply to him with a smile and save his number.

Harry smiles cheekily as he places back his phone in his pocket and proceeds to takes another object from the other side of his pocket. It's a black leather wallet. He hands me several bank notes and I take it with both hands.

"Here's the money for the grocery and your cab ride."

"Thank you. I'll go there right this instant."

"I'll be sleeping in my room then. Knock if you need anything." He smiles and proceeds to exit the room.

I look at the money in my hands then at his back exiting the room. I thought this was going to be a boring day. Man, was I wrong.


	4. 4th Piece

I am slowly getting used to Harry's presence in the house but the adjustments I made before are seemingly undoing itself in its own accord. I have to adjust to his actions, attitude, and the fact that I have to wear a maid's uniform daily. The adjustments were not really that hard but I was just bummed out of the initial thought that Harry was an overall pleasant and always cheerful guy. He was like that for the first week but on the second, it was gone. Harry, who would always talk to Anthony during the afternoon, preferred to stay inside his room. Harry, who would engage in small conversations with me during the day, became quiet and preferred solitude. I don't know what shifted but I hope this is not who he truly was.

**Can I go down now?**

Harry sends me a text.

**Yes, Harry. The food's done.**

I reply back and place the food on the table. Since I didn't know how to cook British food, best believe when I say that I googled how to use an oven and how to cook British food. It was a big adjustment and I prayed every time that what I made was edible. Fortunately, Anthony took pity on me when I ranted about the complexities of a Chicken Tikka Masala and relayed me to his wife, Samantha, who was a goddess in the kitchen. From then on, I sought help from her along with the occasional messages to _tita_ Tess.

The sound of a record player playing from a band I'm not familiar with emanates from the third floor and it's my signal that Harry just came out of his room. Harry comes down from the third floor and stops to sit at his usual spot in the small dining table in the kitchen, facing the portrait of a flower garden on the wall and the refrigerator. Not once since he arrived has he used the main dining area. It's still a puzzle to me that he prefers that cramped space over the large and more spacious one.

The guy starts his meal and I turn to drink some water. Secretly, I watch from behind whether he finds the food delicious or not. From where I'm standing in the corner of the kitchen beside the sink, I can see a clear reflection of Harry's side profile in the oven window. A sign that he likes the food is he would stretch his head slightly from side to side while his eyes will crinkle and his dimples will pop. When he doesn't find the food that good, Harry will just sit still and have no dimples in his smile. But for both occasions though, he'll finish his food on his plate.

Sadly today, he eats in silence, eyes focused on the food. Sighing in silence, I go back to my room. It makes me feel disappointed that for days, he eats with no emotion. To rub more salt into the wound, I still haven't figured out how to be friends with the guy. How do I befriend someone so high in society and not fear of getting ridiculed by the people surrounding us? Still, my thoughts go back to what _tita_ Tess said before she left. _Tita_ Tess said he was a sad person and I finally agree with that.

Whenever I look at pictures of Harry on the internet and compare it with the guy I see every day, I see the difference from the way he looks at people to the subtle gestures he does when he thinks he's alone. I could see that his pictures exude an aura of confidence and anonymity like he's wearing a colorful and alluring mask to entice you to think of him as a confident guy oozing with happiness and charisma. The Harry I see every day is much more toned down, much quieter, and much deeper. He still has his mask on but it's painted dark with streaks of bright colors to make you think that everything is okay but when you get closer, you'll see the small cracks come through.

"Just think of it later, Yari. " I shake my head and rid the thoughts away. Later, I'll think of better food to cook for him and find a way to make him smile genuinely. For now, I lay out my clothes on my bed and get ready for later.

After my lunch, I will be leaving the house for an afternoon meeting with the other freelance writers I'm working within the website. This is my second time meeting them personally and so far, I like them.

My phone buzzes and I already know who it is before even checking the screen.

**I'm done. Thank you for the meal.**

Harry has finished eating. I go outside to see the utensils on the sink while his food scraps already thrown in the trash bin. The sound of music has also stopped, signaling that he's back inside his room.

I turn to clean Harry's dishes and set it up on the rack to dry. After that, I take some portions of the food and cover the rest back. I put the remaining food in the fridge and take the leftover stir-fried vegetables and cream of mushroom soup from last night and heat it in the pan. After heating, I place it on to the table and text Luke and Earl, the security on duty today.

**Let's eat!**

Two burly guys, one with a shaved head and one with cropped, both in their mid-thirties, come inside with their packed lunch and we share our meals together. Since Harry arrived, additional security has been hired inside the property. Two guards are now in charge of security during the day while four at night. Since it's Anthony's free day today too, I eat with the other security. They initially refused when they first started here but I kept insisting since I usually ate with my family back home and it makes me feel less homesick when I'm just eating alone.

"Hmm, I can smell that roast from outside, Yari, " Luke, the guy with a shaved head, looks at the food in front of us.

"That would go well with the wife's mashed potatoes and ham she made for me. " Earl adds.

Harry, the kind man that he is, texted me during my grocery run that day he arrived:

_Cook the food for four people since there's two of us living inside this house and we might want more servings._

I felt a heavy stone lifted when I read that text. When Harry arrived that day, I was worried as to how I will place my food on the fridge if he decided he only wanted his inside. From the experiences of some of the housekeepers that I met, some had cruel employers who would starve their maids or give them scraps. So, I was really surprised and felt really thankful that he even thought of including me. He even lets us, his staff, uses the utensils inside the kitchen.

We feast on the food I cooked and the lunch they brought until we've completely emptied all of our plates. Luke and Earl help me clean the dishes and the kitchen afterward while we continue on chatting. They're very kind men and I'm finding their company very pleasant.

After cleaning the kitchen and washing the dishes, both wave goodbye to go back to their post while I dry the utensils and place them on the rack. Once done, I head to take a shower on the first-floor bathroom.

After taking a quick shower, I get ready to go out. From my daily maid's uniform of white blouse and apron with a black skirt, I keep my change of clothes simple by wearing a shirt, mid-length skirt, and my trusted Chucks. Once done, I fix my face with light makeup then tie my hair in a fish braid. Then, I place my laptop and essentials in my satchel.

**I will be leaving the house now, Harry. Today is my meeting. I'll get back by seven.**

I send Harry a quick text and leave the mansion. Once outside the house, I greet Earl who's walking around the yard.

"Enjoy your day, Yari! " Earl waves at me.

"You too, Earl. Say goodbye to Luke for me." I wave back. Once outside, I get a text.

**You don't have to go back that early. Stay out until eight or nine if you want. I'll be going out too. Enjoy your day!**

My lips curve upward at his text. He's a very nice employer for him to encourage his employee to go out and enjoy her day. I haven't fully seen who he truly is and I just hope that despite his bad mood this week, he'll get back to his true self. Of course, I'm also happy that he's going out. The guy hasn't left the property ever since he arrived and it was making me worry too.

**I hope you enjoy your day too!**

I send a quick text and place my phone back in my satchel. My usual go to for my Sunday free day is Regent's Park and Camden Lock Market. But today, I'm heading to a café at Portobello Road Market where the meeting is set. I've never been to that part of London so it's an adventure for me today.

My commute is a short walk and bus ride to the place. Commuting around here is very fascinating. I've only read about double deck buses, monorails, and trams in books and now I get to experience it. Still, I prefer walking here since the place is a mish-mash of culture and memories of old and new. London gave me the adventure I never knew I needed.

At a quarter past two, I reach Portobello Road Market. My eyes turn wide and I'm immediately in awe at the place. The whole market is bustling with people walking to and fro the long street and around the brightly colored shops selling various items and delicacies. I hold my bag in front of me and find my way to the café we're meeting at.

Going here for me is like bringing a kid to a candy store. I love unique and antique items and apparently, this place is chock-full of them. Vintage clothing, antique silverware, and various nick-nacks entice my eyes but I do my best to resist all of them for now. After my meeting, I'm sure I will visit all these shops.

Finally, I arrive at the meeting place. It's a quaint café with a metal sign board and a logo of a bean painted on it. Inside, the place exudes the feel of a Mediterranean kitchen with its patterned tiles, wooden tables with metal legs curved in an intricate fashion, and decor that you would think an Italian grandma placed it.

I search for familiar faces until I see a woman at the back of the coffee shop typing away on her laptop while taking a forkful of pasta. Quickly, I walk to her four seat table and call her name.

"Olive!" I greet. "Good afternoon. "

The woman turns around and gives a warm smile. "Good afternoon, Yari. You're the first one to arrive."

"Am I? That's good." I smile to myself and sit beside her.

Olive manages all the outside contributors, meaning the freelance writers, of The Buzz, the online varied content website I'm working for. She's a square-faced woman in her late twenties with ebony black hair, velvety chocolate skin, and a slender physique thanks to her pilates classes. She's stern but kind and the woman I'm ultimately thankful to since she believed in my skills and hired me.

I was looking up various online jobs until I stumbled upon this one. Writing has always been my passion ever since I can remember. I loved reading books, writing my own stories, and getting lost in the world of literature. This job for me was like a gift to keep me sane despite the world weighing down on me. What I'm writing here is not necessarily the topic that I like, but it keeps me holding on to some semblance of normalcy.

Several minutes pass and my other co-worker arrives.

"Hi Olive, hi Yari. " Ellie greets and sits beside me.

Ellie is a ginger-haired girl a couple of years older than me. She has a round face framed under thick vintage glasses, a pear-shaped body, and a serene aura to match her whole indie girl look. When I first met her, she introduced herself to me with a tight hug. Then and there, I knew we would be good friends.

Ellie and I set up our laptops to prepare our updates. It's two thirty-five and the meeting should have started five minutes ago but we are still missing one co-worker. So, we order our food while we wait.

I go up to the counter along with Ellie and look at the menu board. Ellie orders first while I take my time to look. I always mentally convert the prices of the things I buy from British pound to Philippine peso then compare it to equivalent items in my country. Each time, it never falters to disappoint me at how pricey the food here is.

Ellie ends her order and I reach the front where the cashier takes my order. I go with the cheapest ice blended drink—vanilla—and wait alongside Ellie for our order. The barista takes no time in preparing our drinks and we go back to our table where our other co-worker is already sitting on the other side of Olive.

"You never change, do you?" Ellie jokingly rolls her eyes.

"It's good that you're already here, Dean. " I add as we sit on our chairs.

"Sorry to keep you ladies waiting. Traffic was horrid today." Dean gives an apologetic smile.

Dean is the same age as Ellie and her classmate during their years in university. He's a tall and lean guy with thick brown hair tied in a mini man bun. The guy has a square face, defined features, a sleeve of tattoos, and a soft smile that goes with his whole stereotypical hipster writer look.

"Now that you're all here, let's begin." Olive claps her hand and turns from friendly Olive to business Olive.

The monthly meeting is a way for Olive to get updates from us and ask questions that she can't express online. Since we're described as outside contributors, there's not much required from us compared to those who work full time in the office. Still, The Buzz is a growing company steadily accumulating readers so the articles are written must be checked properly for errors and must be engaging.

One by one, we present a report of our updates and the number of articles we've written. For my job, I mostly write about entertainment that comprises of anything and everything concerning celebrities. I'd rather write about culture like Dean or lifestyle like Ellie but this was what I was assigned to. Still, I try to look at the bright side which is the fact that I get to learn about the type of entertainment British people like. So far, it's very different compared to the type of entertainment people in the Philippines like.

After my report, Olive types something in her laptop and the meeting proceeds with Dean following me. Dean mainly writes about culture ranging from British to European culture. He's an amazing writer and I admire his writing not to mention his steady following in his blog, The Lost Millennial.

Dean ends his report and Ellie presents last. Ellie writes about lifestyle from how yo survive in London to pick the right design for your apartment, or here, a flat. She's an amazing writer thanks to her Creative Writing degree and I always find myself enjoying the articles she's written to the book that she's writing on her own.

The reports end and Olive starts typing again. I take a sip of my drink and wait for her to give her feedback. Olive starts sharing her feedback on my report and I diligently take notes. She's very direct to specify the weak points of my articles and updates while giving very helpful tips and advice. Her constructive criticism and leveled tone of voice doesn't damper my spirits but only boosts it more so that I can improve myself.

The same statements were cascaded to them both and are also soaking it in with profound understanding. Olive has a way of making you do that.

"And despite all those, I'd like to commend you three. You each have buzz-worthy articles especially you, Yari. People loved your article about Harry Styles arriving back in London," Olive smiles, and the two give their congratulations. "Keep doing a good job. I'll make sure that you will write all the info we receive about Harry. "

I chuckle at the praise and change the subject. A week ago, I made an article about Harry's arrival in London and apparently, British girls all over the country liked it. I merely collated all the information given to me by the photographers of the company and added a little bit of my own that doesn't violate my contract. But after sending it to Olive, I did feel guilty and decided that after that one article, if allowed, I would not write more about him since I don't want to break his trust. I just haven't told Olive about it yet.

The meeting concludes with the discussion of the targets for the month and some reminders which we all take note of. Olive heads out first, saying she has Pilates classes to attend to. The three of us remain on our seats and continue on sipping our drinks.

"So, where are you two heading afterward?" Ellie asks. "Would you fancy going around the market? I've got nothing to do after."

I check my watch and it's already past five in the afternoon.

"I have dinner with my family later at eight but I have free time before that. " Dean sips on the handcrafted drink he ordered.

Should I go out with them or head home? Harry did say I can stay out even until nine in the evening but I don't want to abuse his kindness.

"I can stay until seven. I still have work to do tomorrow." I say as I drain the last bits of my drink.

Ellie claps her hands and grins wide. "All right. Let's get going then!"

With our laptops placed back in our bags, we head out of the café and into the bustling street of Portobello Market. It seems like the number of people from earlier just increased double fold. The three of us melt into the crowd of people and check out the nick-knacks of the place.

"Have you guys been here before?" I ask as we walk.

"I have," Dean replies.

"A couple of times," Ellie adds.

We enter various antique shops and check out the amazing treasures they sell. I gravitate towards a certain vintage camera displayed on the ground and turn to pick it up but large hands meet mine at the same time.

"You take it first," Dean removes his hand."

"No, it's alright. You go first," I try to hand it to him but he refuses. "Thank you. "

I stand up and inspect the vintage camera. It's lightweight and has a good lens with it being designed by a trusted camera company. I check the price tag and see that it's thirty pounds for this. That's a steal! But still, that thirty pounds can be added to help pay our debt.

"You like taking photos too?" Dean inquires after I pass the camera to him.

"A hobby of mine," I say nonchalantly. "The price is really cheap. You should buy the camera so I can borrow it from you. "

"You take photos? " Ellie pops out of nowhere carrying an old tea set. "Can I see? "

Shyly, I take my phone and show them photos of people and still objects I took.

"Wow, these are really good. " Dean whistles.

"Good? They're beautiful! Especially those people doing some tribal dance. " Ellie points out the photo I took of the people dancing in the _Dinagyang_ Festival, a festival in my dad's hometown.

"Now you need this camera more." Dean hands it back to me.

"No, it's alright. I just wanted to look at it. I already have a camera at home." I smile. Truthfully, I sold all my cameras—two DSLRs and one film—so I could pay for my processing fees to go here. "You should buy it."

"Maybe not today," Dean smiles. "I don't have any cash with me and I'm pretty sure that the old chap at the register doesn't accept card."

I set back down the camera and look at it one last time before we proceed to the others. Once I save enough extra money, I will buy that camera. We proceed to window shop at the other stores until we stop at a shop selling vinyl records. Several people are inside so we include ourselves in the number of people.

I peruse the rows of vinyl records in this small shop and gaze in awe at the vast collection of music. Ellie and Dean seem to be enjoying the place as well so I search through the records while they look around. Vinyl records are not really my thing but I've noticed Harry has a collection of it at home. I want to give one as a token of appreciation for all his kindness and maybe make him smile.

From my memory, he likes listening to either rock or soft music which doesn't help my case at all. I look for artists along with the two genres among the numerous rows until I stop on an artist that I recently come to discover here. His name is James Bay. I've listened to his music recently and all of his songs are really good. I think Harry will like this. I immediately get it and check the price, fifteen pounds. That's quite pricey but I guess it's manageable. I will just not buy the nick-knacks I saw earlier.

I head up to the cashier and pay for the record.

"You have your own turntable at your flat? " Ellie peers at the record I bought.

"Nope. It's a gift to my employer. " I reply. The two know that I work as a housekeeper for a family but they think I have my own flat that I share with other housekeepers.

"That's a really nice gift then." Ellie grins.

We go outside the shop and I check my phone. It's already a quarter to seven.

"I have to go now, Ellie, Dean. It's almost seven."

"Me too," Dean checks his phone. "I still have to change and buy something for our dinner. "

"Alright. My bus is near this side of the market. Is anyone riding with me?" Ellie points straight ahead.

"I am. Didn't bring my car today. " Dean replies.

"I'm not. " I shake my head.

"Alright, we'll see you soon then, love," Ellie gives me a quick hug. "Take care!"

"Take care you two! " I wave goodbye to both and walk to the opposite side of the market to where the front entrance is.

As I'm walking, I inspect the record that I bought and wipe the dust that has accumulated in it. I head for the bus stop and take my ride that will drop me to the nearest station to Harry's property. There's a small distance between the two so I walk my way and arrive fifteen minutes later.

Outside the property, I press the intercom beside the small iron gate. After a few seconds, a voice starts speaking.

"Good evening. Who is this?"

"It's Yari." I reply.

"Hey Yari, wait a second. "

The small iron door opens and I am greeted by Suresh, one of the night guards. He's tall, brown-skinned, has a swept-back hairstyle, and big expressive eyes thanks to his Indian heritage.

"Hi, Yari."

"Hey, Suresh. Hi James. " I enter the gate and wave to the other guy inside.

"You just missed Harry. He left a couple of minutes ago," James informs me. "Probably out partying."

"He did? Yeah, he told me he was leaving earlier. "

The three of us exchange pleasantries and engage in small talk for a while before I enter the house. Once inside, I smell a faint hint of male perfume. He's probably going to have a long night with his friends with that strong of a scent. Yet, I smile at the masculine scent of patchouli and citrus because this is the first time I smelled the perfume that he is using.

I take my things to my room then wash up and change into more comfortable clothes of pyjama pants and an old school t-shirt before sitting back in my bed.

On my bed, I take the record and pace along the room, playing with it in my hands. How do I give this to him? Should I give it personally or just leave it with a note? Would he think that I'm obsessing over him if I gave this? I hope this doesn't.

It takes me several more minutes until I decide that the best way to give it is to just leave it in front of his door. So, I take a notebook from my bag, tear a piece of paper, and write on it. Then, I fold it into four. With the record in one hand and paper on the other, I head up to the third floor and stop in front of his door. I place the record on the floor on the side of the door and read what I wrote earlier.

_**Thank you for your kindness.** _

_**-Yari** _

I fold the paper once more and set it on top of the record, debating whether it was the right decision or not. Before I overthink it, I close my eyes and breathe then scurry back down. I hope he'll like it.


	5. 5th Piece

I've been having mixed feelings for the past few hours. I haven't a clue whether Harry likes my gift, no token, or not. It's already eleven in the morning and still, he hasn't gone down. Not even for breakfast. For a morning type of guy, this is already pretty late and as his employee, I am concerned. Yes, I am just concerned as an employee.

I guess it's understandable since he did party last night. It's not my business to nose about on what my boss does on his spare time but I hope that he had a good time. I haven't checked online where he went to and what he did. To distract myself, I cleaned, mopped, swept, and wiped more than I usually did until it was time to cook for lunch. I prepare the food as I sing and play some music in the kitchen loud enough for me to hear it properly but quiet enough to hear anyone going in.

Checking the food, my favorite verse comes on and my feet step to the beat as I sing along with the singer. The food is almost done and will only require ten more minutes. As I look at the clock, I see that it's almost half-past twelve. He should be playing the recorder now. Whenever Harry wakes up, he starts playing music on his recorder upstairs and it became my sign. Now, it feels weird not hearing it at eight in the morning, the usual time he wakes up.

With him still not here, I set my eyes on the food and continue to do so until it's already cooked. I turn off the stove and look up towards the stairs but I still see no sign. Sighing, I decide to set the table in case he goes down at any moment. After doing so, I check my social media while checking the stairs every few minutes. As I scroll through, I see pictures of my college best friends reviewing for their exams. They all look so happy while they take photos in cafes with books and calculators in hand. Even if they're leaving a space between them every time they tag me in their pictures, I can't help but sigh. That is supposed to be my life. I should be studying or getting ready to practice my profession. But look where I am now. I'm cooking and washing dishes in a foreign land.

Scrolling through photos doesn't do me any good so I close my social media and check the time. It's already past one. I check the stairs again but still, there's no sign of him. Maybe he doesn't have the appetite to eat?

My stomach starts to rumble and finally, I decided that I'll just eat ahead of him. I send a quick text to Anthony and return Harry's utensils in exchange for ours.

**Let's eat! I made Filipino food.**

Once done, I sit on the table and wait for Anthony to arrive. He does so after a few minutes with his lunchbox in his hand.

"I'm starving. " Anthony announces as he opens the bag and puts the plastic containers on the table.

The burly guy sits across me and inquires about the food I made today. I introduce the dish to him and takes a sip of the soup first.

"This is amazing." His lips curve upwards. "What is this? I should tell Samantha to ask you the recipe for this. "

I chuckle at his compliment and nod. I was never good at taking compliments and always find it hard to reply back. 

"It's _nilagang baka_. It's beef cooked with potatoes and cabbages for hours. Filipino food." I say as I ladle some onto my bowl.

We start eating and fill the silence with small talk about our morning. As we do so, my mind drifts to a thought that just popped in my head. Maybe I can get more information about Harry through this.

"Anthony, does Harry regularly sleep this late when he parties?" I soften the tone of my voice in case he hears me.

"What are you talking about?" Anthony furrows his brows. "He's not here. "

I stop my spoon midway. "He's not?!"

"He hasn't texted you?"

I shake my head.

"That bloke must be flat out wasted right now if he's not texting," He shakes his head. "Whenever he goes out to party, he stays in his party pad down by the River Thames. I only knew he went there because Suresh told me he went out before we exchanged shifts."

"He has another house here?!"

"More of a flat. Do you think he'd let anyone party here when most of his valuable things are inside?" Anthony cocks one eyebrow up as he sips another spoonful of soup.

"I suppose not. " I forgot that the guy loves his privacy. Oh, how the rich can have such a luxury.

"Usually, he messages Tess when he stays the night there but must have forgotten last night. I wonder why." Anthony continues eating but suddenly stops. The guy takes his phone from the table and types something on his phone. He clucks his tongue and places back his phone on the table. Was there something wrong with what I said?

"Is everything okay?"

"Nothing, nothing." He shakes his head, continuing to eat.

The guy changes the topic and I go along with it. I've always been a keen observer and I know that there is something Anthony is hiding. His brown pupils are jaded and his shoulders look stiff. I know that I can't pick the truth out of him right now so I decide I'll just settle it on another day.

We finish our lunch and Anthony cleans his containers and the utensils he used before proceeding back to his duty. I breeze through cleaning the remaining dirty dishes then place them back in the drying rack. I don't know what I'm feeling but as I sit on the chair, I feel a little pinprick of sadness inside. I cooked this dish so that Harry could have something filling in case he woke up with a hangover. It took me a long time to cook this but he never got to taste it. And now, I don't want him to even see it, much less taste it.

It feels embarrassing to acknowledge that I put a lot of effort into cooking the food. Maybe he'll think that I'm trying to get on his good side or something? No, I'll just cook something else when he arrives. And with this thought, another one pops in my head. My gift!

I rush upstairs and take the gift in front of his room. It would be double embarrassing if he sees this. I'll just keep the record for now and give it at a better time. Going back down, I play with the record in my hands and go back to my room where I place it in my duffel bag.

The bag is the best place to hide it since I don't have to see the object every time. I place the bag on the side of my bed and decide to take my shower. Once done, I head back and change into some yoga pants and a shirt then set up my laptop. My room in this mansion is small with a single bed and side table. Opposite the bed is a gray dresser and wardrobe. To add my own flare to the white painted walls, I hung pictures of photos I took throughout the years all around the room using twine and a bunch of clothespins. There are pictures of my family, friends, and places.

Since Harry's not here, I keep my door ajar, turning on my phone, and playing music while I write articles. Writing articles about celebrities is similar to writing novels. You need to add imagination to make the readers feel like they're in the story walking with J. Lo at the airport or eating in a restaurant in Itaewon with Tom Holland. All of the celebrities are like characters to the story and it's up to us, the writers, how to present them.

A couple of hours pass and I've only written a fourth of what I should. Thoughts of my boss's well being keep distracting me. I try to push it away but it just keeps popping in my head. Is he okay? Has he eaten yet? I don't know.

Since I know I won't get to work further with this mindset, I close my laptop and set it aside to lie down on my bed. Should I search for his name to know what happened last night? He is a public figure. But then again, I feel like it's invading his privacy if I did it. Not knowing him was better because I didn't have to worry about what he will think of me. Now that I work for him, I have to worry about that.

Groaning, I check my phone and see that there's a text sent by Harry.

**Please pack your bags, Yari. Make it for one week or more. I'll be there by six to come and pick you up.**

Where is this guy taking me? I check the time on my phone and see that it's already four in the afternoon. Shoot! The guy sent it an hour ago and now I only have two hours to prepare. Quickly, I take my duffel bag and stuff my extra uniforms as well as my other clothes inside. I take my toiletries in the bathroom and put it there along with my laptop and chargers.

Once done, I change into my uniform then head for the garden and water all the plants. Besides this being my chore, gardening has always been therapeutic for me since it calms me down. Maybe these plants can subside my nervous tension. Anthony comes around the backyard during his perimeter rounds and I smile at the guy. As I do so, curiosity about Harry comes into my mind. He will probably know where our boss is taking me.

I turn off the hose and place it back on the side then proceed to approach the burly guy who's walking back to the front yard. I tap his shoulder and he turns around.

"Yes? " Anthony smiles.

"Anthony, can you water the plants for me while I'm gone? "

"Where are you going?" The guy furrows his brows.

"Harry told me to pack for a week. He says he'll be arriving at six. Do you know where he'll be taking me? " I put my hands on my back. It's still baffling me why Harry suddenly texted this.

Anthony's eyes darken for a second but it went away quickly, turning into a pondering look. "He's probably going to bring you to his flat I told you about earlier. He used to take Tess there for a couple of days and asked her to clean around."

I nod in understanding. Well, that explains his text. He needs someone to clean up the place he'll be staying in and cook food for him while he goes out at night.

"Keep an eye on him there would you? He doesn't like his security staying there so it will only be you and him there." Anthony looks at me with earnest concern. There's something more to his words but I don't prod further.

I nod but curiosity gets the best of me. 

"Can you tell me more about how Harry? I mean is he a party animal? Does he stay out of the apartment most of the time?" I look away, finding the ground much more interesting. "I'm just really curious."

"Yari, you didn't tell me that you fancy our boss? " Anthony cocks one eyebrow up.

"Gosh, no! Not like that," I reply quickly and shake my head, my cheeks burning red with embarrassment. "I like One Direction but I'm more of a Niall girl... I just feel like knowing Harry more will make me a little less nervous in front of him. Especially when it will be just the two of us there. "

I murmur the last few words and look away. It is the truth. I haven't said it vocally but I still don't know how to act in front of Harry. I've had the luxury of looking at him from afar to hide my emotions as a fan but still close enough to know more of the little details about him. Now, it's much more different. Working for one of your idols is very hard.

Anthony stays silent. I've always known him as a jovial man who never lacks anything to talk about. This quiet version is far from what I know of him and it makes me nervous.

"He was always the life of the party because of his looks and friendly vibe. Incredibly popular with the girls too," Anthony starts and I am surprised that he replied. "We weren't in the same circle but we were neighbors and went to the same secondary school. "

My eyes blink but I nod, waiting for him to continue talking. This is the first time I learned that they were neighbors. What more knowledge does he carry?

"Even though he was popular and was mates with a lot of people, he mainly stuck with two lads," Anthony trails off, looking far away until he turns back and squeezes my arm. "Don't let him be alone with his thoughts there. Ha—"

The sound of a car honking outside cuts our conversation. Before I can ask him to proceed, he walks to the gate and opens it. Sighing, I turn around and head back inside to prepare to leave. I go to my room and check it one last time before I take my duffel bag and close the door. 

Once it's secure, I head for the kitchen and place the leftover lunch in a disposable container. After doing so, I walk to the living room and see Harry entering the house, twirling the car keys with his left index finger. The guy looks normal wearing his dark jeans and a gray shirt. His face though looks blank and there's something wrong as soon as I looked at his eyes. It doesn't have its usual shine.

"Did you forget anything?" Harry turns to me and stops playing with his keys. I shake my head and he jogs up the stairs. "I'll just get something in my room. I'll meet you outside."

I watch as he climbs up, his long legs easily closing the gap between each step. Heavy air follows him and I sense the tension that I haven't seen before. What happened to him?

As he turns around for the second flight of stairs, I sigh and walk outside towards Anthony who's beside the open garage. He's leaning one side of his body towards the walls then proceeds to stand up straight when he sees me approach. Maybe he knows something about Harry's attitude now? I doubt that though. I'll just try to continue what he was about to say earlier.

"Here," I hand him the disposable container filled with food I cooked earlier. "It'll just spoil if I leave it. "

"Thank you! Samantha and Wyeth will love this." Anthony takes a peek at the food.

I lean on the wall beside him while he places the container on the ground. With my bag still in my hands, I play with the straps and look at the guy beside me.

"About earlier, I'll make sure that he won't be alone with his thoughts, " I bump the wall back and forth, debating to ask the question but I finally muster up the courage to do it. "What were you going to say again before Harry arrived? "

Anthony purses his lips, remembering the conversation earlier.

"I was going to ask whether you searched his name online."

"Nope," I shake my head. "I must admit that I want to but I haven't. I feel like I'm invading his privacy in some way."

Anthony's lips curve upward but our conversation is cut off yet again by Harry's presence. Our boss comes out of the room with a duffel bag of his own and proceeds to walk inside the garage. Antony takes out his phone and types something before he walks to help Harry. I feel my phone buzz and it's a message from Anthony.

**Look his name up.**

I look from my phone to Anthony and give a nod of understanding before placing my phone back again in my pocket. Harry opens the trunk to his Aston Martin to put down his bag.

"Give me your bag, " Harry motions with his hand for me to come to him. "I'll put it in here with mine. You can sit in the back."

I give him my bag and he places it beside his then he closes the trunk. It closes with a thud and it suddenly dawns on me that I'm going to ride a Bentley for the first time in my life. How many people can ride a luxury car like that? Not many. Yet, I try to be calm and collected while I open the gray doors and enter the backseat, the scent of lemon wafting through my nostrils.

Harry sits down on the driver's seat and starts the engine. My eyes dart all around, absorbing every image of the four corners of the car, as the vehicle exits the garage and out to the road. I hear the sudden play of music and see that Harry's turned on the music player. The guy looks up, not daring to move his gaze away from the road.

The car comes to a stop on a red light and I look at the sky and the sun above us, taking a picture of it with my phone. I've always been amazed at the beauty of the sky. Each day shows a different shape of a cloud, a different hue of the sunset, a different twinkle of the star, but in the end, it's all still part of one great painting of this vast universe.

"I forgot to tell you last night that I wasn't going to sleep there, " Harry looks up at the rearview mirror. "You must have waited a long time before you took your lunch this afternoon. "

"No, it's alright. Anthony told me when we were eating. " I shake my head and smile. My emotions earlier completely are hidden in the pits of my heart.

Harry purses his lips and nod, accelerating the car when the light turns green. "So you must have a clue now where we are staying," The reply comes off as a statement and I nod. "We're almost there. "

The car cruises along the streets and comes to a stop at the entrance of a large modern condominium complex made of dark glass near the River Thames. A guard talks to Harry and after a few seconds lifts the barricade up to let the car enter. The car cruises past a couple of condominium towers and drives towards the underground parking lot of a tower facing the river. 

Harry parks the car in between two other sports cars and stops the engine. He takes something from his dashboard and I see that it's a pair of dark-tinted shades. Putting on the shades, my boss opens the door and steps out of the car in one fluid motion. I follow Harry's move and head out as well, carefully opening the door in case I scratch the car beside us. Harry takes the bags from the trunk and hands me mine then safely locks the car. Looking from side to side, Harry walks straight ahead to what I see in the elevator.

We ride up the elevator, silence filling the space between us until we reach the twelfth floor of the building. Harry steps outside first and I follow suit. I am immediately greeted by a gust of cold wind as we walk along a brightly lit corridor lined up with dark wooden doors along each side of the wall.

My boss stops at the last room on the right and procures a set of keys from his pocket. He pushes a key into the doorknob and I hear a few clicks from the door. The door opens and Harry steps inside to turn on the lights. I follow my boss inside, blinking my eyes as I adjust to the light.

The apartment's aesthetics is different from that of the mansion. Shades of brown and gray along with white fill the colors of this minimalist apartment. On the left side are a dining table and mini kitchen while on the right is the living room and two doors. One is at the end near the television while the other is adjacent to the living room near us. Dark and heavy curtains cover one side of the living room too, letting no outside light come in.

The only similarity between here and the mansion is the turntable and shelf full of records on the wall beside the curtains.

"Your room will be this one, " Harry points to the door on our right nearest to us. "I'll just go to my room and will be heading out afterward. Here's the spare set of keys. Make sure everything is locked before you go to sleep. There's food in the fridge. You can eat that."

The guy places a similar set of keys onto the table and without a word, heads to his room in the far end. I take the keys on the table and head for my room. My room here is different. Unlike the one in his mansion, I'm guessing that I'm staying in the guest room where it contains a queen-sized bed, side table, a couple of dressers, and a large window overlooking the River Thames. The room is beautiful and it's the first time I'm staying in such a luxurious place.

I place my bag on the floor beside the bed and test the mattress by bouncing up and down. It's very soft just like in the mansion and I lay my head down, melting into the soft pillows of the bed. Since I know that I'm alone, I take my phone and search Harry's name up. I don't know why Anthony made me do it but maybe this will give me a clue.

My phone searches the words I typed in and I feel my heart beating loudly while the bar loads, revealing several articles of the same topic when the green bar reaches the end.

 **Harry Styles Seen Partying In Chelsea After Break-up** **With Jade St. Clair**

I don't dare click on any article but close my phone. My lips curve down and I sigh. So this is why he's acting like this.


	6. 6th Piece

Harry has been coming home late since we stayed in the apartment. Every night, I get worried for him so I keep my door slightly ajar and always at four in the morning, I wake up to the sound of my boss stumbling inside the apartment, wasted from the newest club he just went to. Harry then wakes up past noon to eat then goes back to his room and leaves again around eight or nine. The cycle repeats itself leaving me alone in the apartment.

His break-up with Jade St. Clair is not something that I expected. I've heard that the two were going well during Harry's tour. As a fan, the media made me believe that their on-and-off relationship was already getting better but it came as a shock to me when I read the title. I thought that Harry wasn't a player anymore and finally decided to stick with Jade. Boy, was I wrong.

Thankfully, I didn't have to write the article for that story and a full-time worker at The Buzz wrote it much to Olive's dismay. I wasn't checking my emails, and I'm glad I didn't, as she sent me an urgent message to write the hot scoop. If I wrote that article, I would feel really bad because I would be airing out Harry's personal business and if I went through a breakup, I wouldn't want other people to know it too.

To make up to Olive, I've been writing more articles about other celebrities and including some about Harry which I can't escape not writing thanks to Olive who sternly warned me to continue writing about his gallivanting around town. How was I supposed to refuse when she doesn't know that I'm working for Harry? I still haven't told her about my connection with Harry but now I can't. It's much more complicated.I just do my part and write articles that don't damage his name the way others do.

I've just finished an article about Harry partying again when a call comes from my laptop. I answer the video call and see that it's my family eating dinner. There's an eight-hour difference between London and the Philippines so it's safe to assume that while I'm on my bed, getting ready to sleep, my family is having their dinner. On the screen are my dad, Leon, _tita_ Dita and _tito_ Ramon.

A mix of greetings comes up to me and I all greet them back. I'm very fortunate to be in a family where my relatives are just one call away even if they live hours away from us. My dad and younger brother moved in with my uncle and aunt since I left the country, leaving our house empty. _Tito_ Ramon, dad's younger brother, _tita_ Dita, and my cousins have been helping us more than they should and it's been a blessing to my family. I miss all of them but I'm glad that they're all together.

" _Anak (My child)_ , I read the file you sent to me earlier and already made my notes. I'll send it after we eat," Daddy says as he takes a spoonful of his food. "I made some comments there on how you can expound on the thought further."

I look at the man in front of my screen and can't help but wonder why fate has a messed up way of playing with people. It was only a year ago that dad looked like his normal healthy self. He was a tall and lean guy who always had his clean-cut hair swept back perfectly matching his usual get-up of brightly colored shirts tucked under his white pants paired with a blazer and leather shoes. He was outgoing, lively, and healthy. Now, his skin clings to his bones and his gaunt face and bruised body bear his battle with cancer. Though the vigor and strength in his body have left, his mind, heart, and eyes are still the same. The strong passion and determination are still there along with his gentle heart and kind smile.

I nod. "Alright, I'll wait for it _po_."

Before taking his medical leave, Dad was a literature professor at a university. I send him every article I write for him to critique and give suggestions before I send it to my boss. It's also from him that I got my passion for writing and literature. Dad showed me a whole different world through books and how at a young age, I can contain my vast imagination through writing it on a piece of paper or typing it onto the computer.

" _Ate, tignan mo, may triple chocolate cake kami_! _Paborito mo oh_. _(Big sister, look, we have triple chocolate cake! It's your favorite)_ My brother shows the whole cake in front of the screen.

" _Wow! Saan niyo yan nakuha?_ _(Where did you get it?)_ "

" _Wala lang yan, Yari_ ( _That's nothing, Yari)._ Some of my former students passed by this afternoon." Dad says nonchalantly. "Leon, don't pick that chocolate with your fingers!"

My dad gives my little brother his signature firm stare which makes Leon give an apologetic smile followed by a sorry and putting the cake back down. Even though dad downplays it, his strict but fun and empathetic way of disciplining us, made him to be loved not only by us but also his students. In turn for his kindness, various pupils of his throughout the years visit him regularly and leave gifts. They even help financially.

"How is your boss by the way? Is he out drinking again? " My _tita_ Dita inquires. " _Naku, sabihin mo, ingatan niya atay niya!(Oh no, tell him to take care of his liver!)_ "

" _Opo tita_. ( _Yes, auntie)_ " I nod.

My dad shakes his head and clucks his tongue. "If you have the opportunity, talk to him. He may need someone to listen to him. That's mostly the root cause of you kids going out to get drunk."

"It doesn't cost anything to be a good person to your boss. Try mo _lang_. _Baka may pinagdadaanan ngayon_.( _Just try. Maybe he's going through something right now.)_ " Uncle Ramon, dad's younger brother, adds.

My family still knows that I work for Mick Robinson whom I told was a music producer. I also explained to them that I signed a non-disclosure agreement so I can't answer anything related to him. Fortunately, they understood and never questioned me about his identity, only answered the information I gave them.

I've told my family about my boss's frequent trips to the bar and ever since then, have asked about his well being. They've always been full of love and have raised us to be full of love as well.

"I can't give any promises but I'll try. " I nod.

My family and I continue to converse until I hear the sound of clicks coming from the door. I check the clock and it's almost three in the morning. I panic and look from side to aide.

"Is everything okay, _anak_? ( _child?_ )" Dad asks.

Gosh, I don't want Harry to think I'm wasting his money and adding more to his electricity bills.

"I'll go ahead and sleep _na po_. It's almost three am here. Good night everyone!" I wave to the screen quietly and they all say their goodbyes just in time to hear Harry's unsteady footing inside the living room.

Quickly, I place the laptop under my bed and stand up to turn off the lights. I've successfully turned it off when I hear a loud thud and several other voices talking. I rush to the source of the sound but find it difficult since the lights are turned off and the curtains cover any outside light.

Walking beside the walls, I feel for the light switch and finally touch it after several steps. I turn on a few of the lights in the kitchen as the sound of two other voices mix with each other. The lights illuminate the living room and I see two other guys carrying Harry on both sides of his shoulders.

"C'mon man, we're here. " The guy on left coaxes my boss while placing a set of keys he's holding on the counter, an American accent prominent in his voice. He's a tall guy about the same age as Harry's with brushed up blonde hair and a sharp-edged face. The guy looks familiar but I can't pinpoint where I saw him.

"Is he okay?" I help the two to get Harry sitting on the chair in the dining table.

"He'll manage." The guy replies.

Harry chuckles, eyes dazed, and hair a wild mess. He pats the two and grins.

"Thanks, lads," My boss's words slur. "Oh, Yari, you're here," Harry gives me a lopsided smile. "Get us some glass. We'll be having rum before my good mates leave."

My boss staggers to the kitchen counter, trying to open the cabinet on top, but is stopped by the brunette, earning him a groan and glare from Harry. I look from side to side to his friends, clueless of what's happening. The blonde beside me purses his lips and sigh. Harry is a wreck with his disheveled clothes and foul reek of alcohol. His face matches his looks with the splotches of red under his eyes and on his cheeks. Lips slightly agape, Harry turns his head to the side away from them and groans again.

"No, mate. This is your last night drinking. You're always like this when she finds a new man for the season. She's toxic for you." The brunette holding my boss up shakes his head. He's a handsome man in his early thirties with an athletic built, round face, and clean-cut brunette hair. 

I can't help but feel like I shouldn't be hearing their conversation. This should be between their friends but I'm here slinking back to the wall looking at the scene, making it as if I'm invisible to the three. It's already too late though. 

The blonde guy helps the brunette guy put my boss back on the chair, both sighing at their friend's condition. Harry slumps his head on the table and turns his head to the blonde guy.

"She is, isn't she?" My boss finally replies, giving a defeated smile.

I know I'm just his employee but I can't help but ache for this guy's pain. Meanwhile, the two shake their heads and the brunette sighs.

"This is the last night we'll come with you. I have to get back to LA tomorrow for my shoot, " The blonde replies, exasperated by his friend's actions. He then pauses, trying to make his friend understand his next few words. "She only likes herself and would be with anyone that she can use to her advantage." The blonde walks away, hands up in the air and a voice filled with exasperation. "I've been telling you this for years!"

Harry tries to stand up but fails and immediately sits back down. I see the two guys' disappointed faces at their friend and I can't help but sympathize with them.

"Alright, last time. Got it. I swear. Last time. " Harry nods to himself and rests his head on the head of the chair

"We're serious now and we were serious at the club," The brunette adds to the conversation. "Jade is a slag and you know that. I swear mate, I don't even get why you still take her in whenever she comes running back to you."

"She's not a slag!" Harry suddenly shouts in anger, surprising the three of us standing. "I just... worry her too much... and I'm working on that."

If there's a possibility of making myself disappear, I would have done so already. I shouldn't be hearing this conversation. Harry's weakest point shouldn't be seen by anyone but only the people he trusts. I'm nowhere close to any of the criteria yet I'm here because of my job. I feel so bad and out of place right now.   
  
"Bullocks, and you _know_ that!" The brunette's eyes turn into slits.

"You can leave," Harry murmurs angrily, the same anger as when he shouted earlier. "I'm already here."

The two guys shake their heads and finally, turn their attention to me.

"Sorry for the mess. You're the new housekeeper right?" The brunette smiles apologetically and I nod. "Joel by the way. Do you need any help in taking him to his room?"

I shake my head and give the two a reassuring grin. "No, it's alright. I can bring him there. You two must be tired already. Would you like a glass of water first? "

The blonde guy steps up to shake my hand and I'm caught unguarded by the action. "We're good, thank you. I'm Eli by the way, Harry's friend. Sorry you had to hear that. You must have been sleeping already."

"No, it's okay," I shake my head. "I was just about to sleep. "

I look at the creases on their foreheads and the frowns on their faces. Harry's friends must have had a hard time taking care of him. Have they been doing so ever since Harry went out? Man, I feel so bad for them. Now I turn to my boss who's now quiet as a mouse, lying his whole head and arms on the table. He's probably asleep. 

The guy named Joel takes something from his pocket and takes out his wallet to get a small white rectangular card.

"Remind him tomorrow when he's sober that he said he won't drink again. Say that if he broke it, he'll get the consequences he wrote. If he tries to fire you for that, call me... I'll make sure he doesn't." Andy gives the calling card to me.

**Levitt and Heisner**

**Atty. Joel Pickett**   
**Entertainment Law**

I look up at the guy and the details of the calling card. I think I've seen his name somewhere but I can't pinpoint where. Still, I'm touched at his kind gesture. Harry is lucky to be friends with these people. 

"Thank you," I keep the card in my hands. "No drinking, consequences, the tissue in the club. I'll keep it in mind."

"Well, you heard him earlier. We'll have to head out first," Eli and turns to look at his friend then back at me. "Make sure he vomits. The guy drank a load off vodka and Jägerbombs. Take care..."

"Yari. " I offer my name.

"Yari, right, I'll keep that in mind, " The blonde snaps his finger. "Bye, Yari. Oh one more thing, please prevent him from drinking when we leave."

"I will. " I give my best reassuring nod and smile.

Satisfied, Eli heads out for the door and waves goodbye. Joel turns to me and shakes my hand.

"We'll be heading out. I'll be seeing you again soon. Take care, Yari."

I nod and wave goodbye to the two as I lock the door of the room. Once it's locked, I breathe a heavy sigh and head back to the dining table where I see Harry opening the fridge, swaying as he does so.

"Harry, what do you need?" I rush to his side and steady his footing, placing the calling card on the tabletop to get later.

His voice slurs. "We have wine here, right?"

"No, you finished it earlier, remember?" I steady his footing and walk him towards the couch. Truthfully, it's still there in the cabinet on top of the kitchen counter but I"d like to keep my promise.

This is the first time in a long time that I will be taking care of a drunk person again. I've always been the designated sober person whenever my friends and I party since I don't drink. Looking at Harry, I feel like I'm back in college again, taking care of my friends who are way past their level of alcohol tolerance.

"Right, right." He wags his finger at me and I situate him on the couch so that his head is lying on an arm of the couch surrounded by pillows on both sides.

Once I'm sure he won't roll off, I go back to the kitchen to get him a glass of water. When I reach the living room, his eyes are already closed as he cuddles a pillow.

"Drink this, you need to hydrate." I sit on the couch and make him sit up then pass him the glass. Thankfully, he's not too drunk that he can't hold a glass and gulps the whole thing down. "When's the last time you drank water?"

Harry counts with audibly and raises up nine fingers. "Since this o'clock."

"Nine pm?! Well that explains why your drunk. You should hydrate with water in intervals when going out to drink so that you won't get wasted." I shake my head and put the glass on the floor.

Harry's glazed eyes turn to me and he pokes my shoulders. "Why is my _maid_ nagging me? I'm. The. Boss. Here."

"Sorry, but it is true. " I shake my head, remembering what my uncle said earlier. Kindness costs nothing.

Harry turns to me and suddenly lies his head on my lap, hugging the pillow as he does so. My eyes turn wide and my heart feels like it's going to explode. I'm used to my drunk friends doing this to me when I nurse them back to sobriety but him, oh no, this is different. Even if he won't remember this, I will. I'll remember my heart thumping louder than ever and the butterflies going berserk in my stomach.

"I don't get you women. We try to be the best boyfriends and give you constant reassurance that we're loyal and sincere but that's not enough for you? You always blame us that we're going behind your backs saying you're not being showed off enough to the paparazzi and saying look at me, I'm dating Harry Styles. I caught _the_ Harry Styles," The last words drip with venom. I can feel my boss's disdain as he lifts his head up to come to stare at me. "You all have your reasons for staying with me."

I turn to look at his scowling face and glazed green eyes. Mentioning his break up was painful for him. He and his on-and-off supermodel girlfriend for the past several years have always been the talk of the town for their good looks but complicated relationship. The two will always get back together only weeks after Harry breaks up with one of his girlfriends. Harry and she will date for several months until I'll see on the internet that Harry has moved on with another girl.

But hearing what he and his friends argued about earlier, it seems that I was totally wrong about their relationship. That was the first time I learned of the other story. The media always portrayed him as the player while Jade as the damsel in distress getting her heart constantly broken by the infamous womanizer. I never knew that Jade was always the one to leave Harry? This makes it even more painful.

Harry lies his head back on my lap, continuing his rant about the woman but my thoughts float to Harry's eyes. Since the second week he went back to the mansion, I've noticed that Harry's bright green eyes change into dull green irises clouded with pain. It hurts me that Harry believes that everyone has ulterior motives that why they stay with him. The reason I might be here is that I'm his housekeeper but I'm taking care of him tonight because I am a concerned person and worried fan.

My heart aches for the mess he is right now. I hope that tonight, I can at least help ease his sorrow. Kindness costs nothing after all.  
  
I debate for a few moments whether I'll do the next gesture in fear of judgment but I push away the thought tonight. For now, I do what my instincts tell me to do.

"Maybe you two just need time away from each other to know who's truly the right person for you, " I take my left hand and rub his arm. "Somewhere out there is a girl who doesn't need to flaunt to everyone that she's dating you in order to measure her happiness. She wouldn't care whether you're a celebrity or some guy working at a bakery. The girl will love every piece of you, okay? The good and bad."

"But what if my life scares her away? That she's actually falling in love with a beast?" I sense the slight tone of fear in his voice. From what I heard, I can only imagine the pain and trauma he felt for not being enough. Oh how to take all this sadness away from him.

"The girl knows that there's so much more to this beast than he lets himself out to be... But you also have to let her help you to see that." I squeeze his arm. 

Silence engulfs us and I continue to rub his forearms, his face now facing my stomach as he snuggles closer. Harry's bangs frame his eyes but it still leaves ample room for me to look at the rest of his face. I'm relieved that his expression has changed and it's not the angered look from earlier. His shoulders are relaxed and the creases on his forehead are gone. I would love to touch his face but I'm afraid that it's too personal

As much as I would like to stay in this position, I know that I should try to remove his head since this is not appropriate for an employer-employee relationship. Also, the words of the guy named Eli float in my eyes.

_Make him vomit. He'll feel better after that._

The guy needs to expel the contents of his stomach and I don't know how long I have to wait for him to do that. I can't possibly induce him to puke.

" _Sige lang_ ( _It's okay)_ , just rest, " I whisper as I smooth his back. " _Baka gusto mo na rin sumuka para makatulog ka na. (Maybe you also want to puke so that you can sleep.)_ "

"I'm falling but they're only saving my body," He murmurs out of the blue. "My heart and soul are always forgotten."

I frown at his statement. They say that talking to a drunk person is like talking to them in their most honest form so what did he mean by saying those words? It might give me a clue about what he really feels.

It takes several more minutes of patting Harry's back while he stays silent, hands still cuddling the pillow, until he sits up quickly, holding his mouth and hearing him gag.

"Finally." I whisper to myself.

Quickly, I assist him up from the living room and head to the bathroom where he squats as soon as he's in front of the toilet bowl, gripping the toilet while his mouth still closed. I open the lid and immediately, the guy empties the contents of his stomach. Unfortunately, my arm is too slow and trails of vomit land in my arm.

"Ugh!" I contain my scream and refuse the urge to look. The liquid was cold and I'm cringing for thinking what foreign pieces are stuck to my hand and arm.

I squeeze my way past through Harry who continues to hurl and with closed eyes, I open the faucet and run my vomit-filled hand and arm along the water. Once I feel that it's gone, I open my eyes and scrub my arms as hard as I can with the liquid hand soap. Let Harry puke how long he wants. My vomit filled arm is more important right now!

The contents are all gone and once I'm sure they are germ-free, I close the faucet and focus back on my boss who's slumped across the toilet seat, waiting for another round to happen. I squat beside him, wiping his sweat-filled forehead with my clean hand while patting his back with the other.

The guy groans and sends a few more down the toilet. I'm not the squeamish type of person but puke is a very different topic. We squat there, waiting for something to happen but his stomach must be empty already. Harry pushes down the flush and the drinks he drank earlier at the club go down the drain.

"Do you think you still have more inside of you?" I inquire softly.

Harry shakes his head and wipes his mouth with the back of his hand. Putting his arm on my back, I help him stand up and direct him towards the sink. The guy stays quiet as I turn on the tap and wipe off his mouth with my hands.

"Try to rinse your mouth and brush your teeth. " I remove his arm from my shoulder and let himself do the task.

Thankfully, he rinses his mouth a few times while I take his toothbrush from his cup and put some toothpaste on it. I hand the toothbrush to the guy and he starts brushing his teeth, supporting himself by holding the sink. I stay behind him until he finishes brushing his teeth and rinses his mouth then places the toothbrush beside the faucet.

I try to see if he can walk but the guy stumbles as he turns. Carefully, I put his arms back on my shoulder and we slowly saunter our way to his room. We reach the room and I feel his heavy body leaning to me as I turn on his lights. The smell of puke and vodka mixed in his shirt makes my nose wrinkle.

Carefully, I lay down the guy on his bed, and instantly, he closes his eyes and tries to get his pillow but I take it away from him.

"Give me my pillow!" Harry reaches for it like a child but I put it safely beside me.

"I'll give it back to you if you change first. " I counter sternly and he whines but starts closing his eyes.

I walk to his wardrobe and check for his bedtime clothes. I can't possibly let him wear that alcohol-and-puke stained outfit to bed. I'll be the one having a hard time cleaning his sheets out if he sleeps on them.

Looking up and down, I reach for a black shirt and a pair of boxer shorts. With the clothes safely in my arms, I turn around to see a shirtless Harry removing his pants without any preemptive notice. My eyes turn as wide as saucers and quickly, I close my eyes and place the clothes on his bed then turn around.

"Change into that. " I announce.

I hear some shuffling behind and I focus my gaze on his drawer. The sound draws further and I wait for a few more minutes before I turn around. Once I turn, I see Harry's dirty clothes on the floor while my employer is already under the sheets, sleeping soundly.

Phew, at least he's asleep now. I turn to get his dirty clothes and place them on the laundry basket beside the door. Then, I go back to the kitchen and rummage for any Aspirin in the cabinet to no avail. Thankfully, I remember that I have some in my bag for an emergency when I flew from the Philippines. I go to my room and check my bag for my first aid kid pouch and see that it's still there. Beside the pouch, surprisingly, is the vinyl record that I bought. I forgot that it was even there.

I take the vinyl record and pouch and close my bag. I rummage through my pouch and take an aspirin tablet then put my things on my bed to go to the kitchen to get a glass of water from the fridge. With the glass and pill in hand, I go back to Harry's room where I place the two on his bedside table and close the door.

Going back to my room, I stare at the square object, debating what to do with it. Maybe this can make Harry feel a bit happier? I take the piece of paper from the notebook in my bag and scribble a note then walk back to his room to place the record and note on top of his dresser. The guy doesn't notice and is sleeping soundly.

Once I arrive back in my room, I let out a heavy sigh and turn to look at my clothes. My favorite bedtime shirt, a blue shirt with the Ravenclaw logo printed on it, is soaking wet from my sweat while stray drops of vomit dot my right sleeve.

Sighing, I change my shirt for a cleaner one then check my phone for the time. It's almost four-thirty in the morning. I only have less than three hours before I need to wake up again. Groaning, I close my door and turn off the lights. Then, I crash on my bed and get what little sleep I can get.  
 **  
  
**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For context: Filipinos are very Family-Oriented. Often, you can see extended families living together in one roof or sometimes, kids being raised by other family members or relatives.


End file.
